Louis Monier is our Artisan of the Month!

The seat carpentry is the work of wood. It differs from other specialties related to wood (the ornamentalist, the cabinetmaker, etc.) by the techniques and the type of pieces the seat carpenter creates. More than a passion, this trade is Louis Monier’s reason of being. This article is the portrait of a craftsman devoted to his know-how whose practice is based on sharing and respect.

The craftsman

Since his six years old, Louis Monier has known that he wanted to be a carpenter. When he was 15, he began his studies at Ecole Boulle in Paris. It took him 6 years to master his trade: 4 years of fine crafts training (FMA) and 2 years of fine diploma (DMA). After an experience at Mobilier National, he has opened Atelier Monier in 2013. Ever since, he has been expressing himself through his own creations.

The trade

The seat carpentry consists in creating the wood structure of a seat. This technique know-how requires a good vision in space and an appetite for teamwork. Indeed, the seat workshop requires working with other craftsmen such as the upholsterer, the woodcarver or the gilder.

Louis Monier combines the traditional techniques, the technological tools, and the creativity to change the way everyone see the seat. This one is seen as an object of our everyday life while it is similar to a sculpture because of the line successions. Louis Monier creates seat with his artist’s soul and his mastery of drawing, one of which earned him the title of Meilleur Ouvrier de France (2019).

The gesture

Unlike other specialties related to wood, the seat carpentry removes the wood to create and shape the lines. This gesture is Louis Monier’s favorite since it is how it makes each piece alive.

The broken line is the signature of the craftsman, guaranteeing for him a successful seat. It illustrates his relationship with Nature and the respect he has for his predecessors who are the very essence of fine crafts.

The transmission

In Louis Monier’s workshop, the trainees are everywhere because of his attachment to transmission. Committed, he wishes to teach them his know-how but also his expreriences through which he passed so that they are prepared for their future professional life.

In seat carpentry, the transmission also involves the tools. The wabstring is the essential tool of the seat carpenter. But it is no longer on the market, and its disappearance would cause the extinction of the trade. With the support of the Fondation Rémy Cointreau, Louis Monier was able to create several wabstringues for himself and his trainees.